On the Internet, each information-processing unit (server) has a specific IP (Internet protocol) address (accessed party information). In accessing or communicating with another information-processing unit, location of the information processing unit on the computer network is specified on the IP address. The IP address is a TCP/IP protocol address, and is defined by a sequence of network number and each (host) computer number, which are totally 32 bits in length. It is represented by four numbers with dots inserted therebetween, for example, 192. 244. 177. 11.
Also, through the WWW (world wide web), which is information search system (or service), using the Internet, the user can access variety of information based on URL (uniform resource locator).
The URL is represented by, for example, http://www.abc.co.jp. Of this URL, “http” represents protocol name and “www.abc.co.jp” represents host (server) name (domain name). Host name (domain name) is subject to conversion by a server called DNS (domain name server) built on the Internet.
Using the information-processing unit including a personal computer, the user inputs accessed party information, such as IP address and URL, that indicates the address of information to be accessed, while displaying and confirming letters to be input on the display by operating the keyboard or mouse located near the display.
Thus, in accessing a server or a homepage, it is necessary to input the IP address of the server or the URL of the homepage. So, the user needs to know the IP address (or domain name) of the server or the URL of the homepage. For this need, recently, issued are publications that describe the IP address and URL of servers and homepages on the Internet and are, in other words, equivalent to a telephone directory. The user can access a desired server or homepage by inputting the IP address or URL obtained by referring to such a publication.
However, when using IP address or URL that is described in the publication such as a newspaper etc., it is necessary for the user to input it by operating the keyboard. As described earlier, IP address is represented by a sequence of four numbers with dots inserted therebetween, and URL is represented by at least protocol name and domain name. Thus, to input such a long letter string by operating the keyboard is very burdensome.
Furthermore, for example, when the user actually accesses a desired homepage using the information-processing unit while referring to a publication described above, it is necessary to boot a viewer (WWW browser) that is an application for access to the homepage before inputting the URL. This is also burdensome.
To remove these drawbacks, Japanese published patent application No. 9-204389 (1997) suggests an information-processing unit (prior art 1). The information-processing unit comprises a receiving means for receiving accessed party information to be sent from a reading unit to read the accessed party information described in a publication, and a control means for giving the accessed party information to an application for accessing information and controlling the application to access the information based on the accessed party information received by the receiving means.
In detail, in prior art above, the reading unit reads a bar code corresponding to URL and the URL concerned is then transmitted to the computer. When the computer receives the URL, the viewer is booted and the URL is given to the viewer so as to access a corresponding homepage. Thus, prior art 1 can offer easy access to the homepage.
Japanese published patent application No. 10.78928 (1998) discloses a system for accessing the Internet. In this system, in accessing the Internet using URL for access to information sources located on the network from an access unit such as a PC, computer, a computer game device and home electronic appliances, a 10-digit number relatively short is in advance assigned to the URL being represented by a letter string, to the first upper digit and the second to fifth upper digits, arbitrary numerals are assigned based on a correspondence table of numeral corresponding to alphabet and reference value and a correspondence table of alphabet to digit number which are prepared in advance. Further, according to need, in like manner, arbitrary numerals are assigned to the sixth, seventh and eighth to tenth upper digits. Thus, without being aware of the long and complex letter string URL, the user can access the Internet only by inputting the relatively short number corresponding to the URL. Furthermore, the access data can be also used as statistical processing information.
However, in prior art 1, although using the bar code and graphic pattern as URL identifying information is disclosed, converting them into URL by a server and then returning them to the client and making the user identify them using a mark are not disclosed.
In prior art 2, only assigning the number, instead of the graphic pattern or bar code, to each URL and then converting it into URL are disclosed.
Meanwhile, bar codes have been used in logistics, but its use or meaning is known only among the dealers and is not known among ordinary users.